Seventh inning: Astros 3, Red Sox 2

Sixth inning: Astros 3, Red Sox 2

Bottom: Justin Verlander made quick work of the inning getting J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts, and Steve Pearce all on groundouts to retire the side.

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Top: After Red Sox manager Alex Cora was ejected by home plate umpire James Hoye in between innings for arguing balls and strikes, Joe Kelly came back out for his second inning on the mound. Kelly hit Alex Bregman with a 100 mile-per-hour fastball, followed by an Eduardo Nunez error on Yuli Gurriel’s grounder, putting two runners on with no outs. Tyler White promptly popped out for the first out of the inning, and Marwin Gonzalez struck out for the second.

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Carlos Correa hit a single to left-center to drive in the third Astros run of the game. Matt Barnes entered the game for the Red Sox, replacing Kelly, and induced an inning-ending groundout from Martin Maldonado.

Fifth inning: Astros 2, Red Sox 2

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Play by play

Bottom: Steve Pearce hit a full count fastball past Carlos Correa and into left field for a single. Brock Holt struck out looking for the inning’s first out. Eduardo Nunez and Jackie Bradley Jr. drew a pair of walks to load the bases. Mitch Moreland pinch hit for Sandy Leon, and drew another walk to score Pearce for Boston’s first run of the night. Christian Vazquez came in to pinch run for Moreland.

Mookie Betts then reached on a fielder’s choice. Jackie Bradley Jr. tied the game, scoring on a wild pitch from Justin Verlander. But Andrew Benintendi was caught looking on a third strike to end the threat.

Top: Joe Kelly entered from the Boston bullpen, ending Chris Sale’s night on the mound. Josh Reddick’s pop fly to right field was caught by a sprinting Mookie Betts, followed by George Springer grounding out to Eduardo Nunez. Jose Altuve then popped out to Brock Holt to end the inning.

Fourth inning: Astros 2, Red Sox 0

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Bottom: Andrew Benintendi took Justin Verlander to a full count, but struck out swinging. J.D. Martinez flew out to Josh Reddick in right field. Xander Bogaerts became the 10th Red Sox batter in a row to be retired by Verlander, ending the inning with a pop out to first base caught in foul territory.

Top: Chris Sale got Marwin Gonzalez to fly out to centerfield to open the inning. Carlos Correa struck out swinging for the second out, and Martin Maldonado’s strikeout gave Sale his own 1-2-3 inning.

Third inning: Astros 2, Red Sox 0

Bottom: Jackie Bradley Jr. flew out to centerfield on the first pitch from Justin Verlander. Sandy Leon followed by striking out for the second out of the inning. Verlander completed another 1-2-3 inning, inducing a groundout from Mookie Betts.

Top: Alex Bregman drew a leadoff walk from Chris Sale. Yuli Gurriel popped out for the first out of the inning. Bregman was then thrown out at second by Red Sox catcher Sandy Leon, a decision that was upheld after review. Sale then got Tyler White to strike out to retire the side.

Second inning: Astros 2, Red Sox 0

Bottom: Justin Verlander started the inning by striking out Steve Pearce and Brock Holt. Eduardo Nunez then grounded out to Carlos Correa to end the inning.

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Top: Tyler White was caught looking on strike three by Chris Sale to open the second inning. Marwin Gonzalez promptly lined out to second base for the second out of the inning. Carlos Correa drew a two-out walk, and Sale hit Martin Maldonado with a 96 mile-per-hour fastball to put two runners on. Another walk to Josh Reddick loaded the bases.

George Springer lined a full-count single past third base to score Correa and Maldonado. Jose Altuve then grounded into a fielder’s choice, retiring the side.

First inning: Red Sox 0, Astros 0

Bottom: Mookie Betts lined the second pitch of his leadoff at-bat into right field for a single. Andrew Benintendi flew out to left field for the first out. Betts advanced to second on a wild pitch by Astros starter Justin Verlander. After J.D. Martinez drew a walk, Xander Bogaerts grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Top: Chris Sale began his night by walking George Springer after reaching a full count. Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman were retired on fielders’ choices (Bregman’s was called after a review). Sale then struck out Yuli Gurriel to end the threat.

Pregame

The weather: It was about 50 degrees just before first pitch. Temperatures are forecast to drop well into the 40s.

Pregame scenes

Lineups

LHP Chris Sale and RHP Justin Verlander are the starters. Peter Abraham wrote about the matchup and how both hurlers intend to stay on the mound as long as they can. “Obviously we both have very good bullpens and big arms on either side. But this is more, I guess, the traditional way to play the game, and the way I like to play the game,” Sale said Friday.

RED SOX (108-54 regular season, 3-1 ALDS)

ASTROS (103-59 regular season, 3-0 ALDS)

Betts RF

Springer CF

Benintendi LF

Altuve 2B

Martinez DH

Bregman 3B

Bogaerts SS

Gurriel 1B

Pearce 1B

Gonzalez LF

Holt 2B

Correa SS

Nunez 3B

White DH

Bradley Jr. CF

Reddick RF

Leon C

Maldonado C

Pitching: Sale (1-0, 2.84 postseason)

Pitching: Verlander (1-0, 3.38 postseason)

Notable: Mitch Moreland is out of the lineup for the third straight game. Brock Holt is in the lineup, rather than Ian Kinsler. Against Verlander, Holt is 3 of 10 with two RBIs and two walks, and Kinsler is 8 of 43 with two doubles, an RBI, nine strikeouts, and six walks.

■ Verlander led the Astros in wins (16), strikeouts (290), and innings pitched (214) in the regular season and led starters in ERA (2.52). Against the Sox this season: 0-0 in one start, striking out six and allowing two earned runs on three hits over six innings. ALDS performance: In Game 1, Verlander went 5⅓ innings, striking out seven and walking two of the 20 batters he faced while giving up only two runs on two hits. He threw 102 pitches, 70 for strikes.

■ Sale went 0-1 in one start against the Astros this season. He allowed four runs (one HR) on six hits and struck out six over six innings. Saturday night marks his third postseason start, his second against the Astros. In Game 1 of last year’s ALDS, he went five innings, giving up seven runs (three homers) on nine hits and struck out six over five innings.

■ Other notes: Rick Porcello and Nathan Eovaldi are available out of the bullpen tonight. The Astros won four of seven games against the Sox in the regular season. Here is Abraham’s full game preview.